Monday, December 21, 2015

How to set up a green fleet action plan with low-cost resources

Sustainability and putting green fleet policies into practice is an integral part of the global environmental solution; something that is now a legal requirement often regulated by new provisions. But there are also ancillary benefits: companies project a better image if they are more eco-friendly as well as saving a great deal on fleet costs.

You might think it takes a huge amount of effort and a big budget to set up a green fleet action plan and get vehicles and staff more eco-friendly, but it is not really the case. There are some actions you can actually take without ruining yourself or spending large amounts of money, which can still bring great results.

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Let’s get started with our green fleet action plan!

#1 - Enjoy the benefits of GPS tracking

If you use a tracking system connected with software able to generate reports, you will gain insight into the driving style of your team, especially with regards to non-green practices that can influence the amount of emissions of your vehicles.

#2 - Reduce the use of your vehicles

You might think this literally means “downtime”, but it actually means optimising routes, making the most out of journeys and eliminating vehicle misuse—another simple way of making your fleet greener.

#3 - Avoid high environmental impact practices

Idling, dangerous driving practices and inefficiencies have to be removed—the less fuel you use, the less CO2 there will be in the atmosphere.

#4 - Do not overload your vehicles

It has to be clear for all drivers that they should only be transporting what is suitable according to their vehicle class, i.e., one vehicle to convey heavy goods and another for light commercial goods. This is not just for reasons of safety and fuel efficiency, but also to adopt the eco-driving ethic.

#5 - Let the fleet manager choose routes

With an adequate system at their disposal which can generate data from vehicles, the fleet manager will be able to choose routes that are greener and require less fuel than others. Feedback from drivers can also be essential, but the route has to be established with consideration to the data.

#6 - Ensure tyres have the correct pressure

Simple, but often forgotten… make sure vehicles have the correct tyre pressure.